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Suspected tornado causes damage, injuries in Becker Co.
Several tornadoes were reported in northwestern Minnesota on Monday night as severe storms rolled across the state. The Becker County Sheriff’s Office said a suspected tornado injured two people near Floyd Lake and left a trail of damage. FOX 9's Bill Keller has the latest.
DETROIT LAKES, Minn. (FOX 9) - A suspected tornado injured two people and caused significant damage near Floyd Lake in Becker County on Monday.
Suspected tornado injured 2 people
What we know:
The Becker County Sheriff's Office said a suspected tornado struck the west side of Floyd Lake, just north of Detroit Lakes on Monday evening. Two people suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to Essentia St. Mary's for treatment.
The tornado left signigicant damage, which emergency responders are still assessing. Authorities say there have been impacts to homes and other properties, numerous downed trees, and downed power lines throughout the area.
Power outages have steadily improved since the storm. More than 2,000 customers in Becker County were without electricity overnight, but that number had dropped to just over 500 by Tuesday morning as crews worked around the clock to restore service.
The sheriff's office is urging the public to avoid the Floyd Lake area while first responders and utility crews conduct damage assessments and work to restore services. An emergency shelter has been set up at M State College on Highway 34 for residents displaced by the storm or anyone needing assistance.
What's next:
The National Weather Service out of Grand Forks will send a crew to the Detroit Lakes area to survey the damage. They will work with Becker County Emergency Management to confirm the touchdown and determine the path and strength of any suspected tornadoes.
Emergency officials said they will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
Other reported tornadoes, damage in Minnesota
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MN weather: Storms in northern Minnesota
Storms tracked through northwestern Minnesota and across the state on Monday evening as severe thunderstorm watches remain in place into early Tuesday morning.
The backstory:
Severe storms swept across northern Minnesota, leaving behind widespread damage, and reports of tornadoes, golf ball sized hail, and winds between 70 and 80 mph.
Four tornadoes were reported by trained weather spotters north of Detroit Lakes on Monday. Weather chasers described seeing buildings with roofs torn off, power poles knocked over and debris scattered across roadways. Photos sent in by FOX 9 viewers show trees toppled, roofs ripped off homes and buildings, power lines down and boats and docks overturned in the water.
A law enforcement officer in Kittson County reported a suspected tornado that flipped a trailer as it was pulling into a service station. In Grant County, a storm chaser saw a suspected twister on the ground near Herman for about two minutes.
The most intense storms were to the northwest, but the Twin Cities metro saw some rain, thunder and lightning in the overnight hours.
The Source: This story uses information from the Becker County Sheriff's Office and previous FOX 9 reporting.